Conflict has been raging in the region for months between the DR Congo’s army and the M23 rebels who seized two more towns over the weekend.

The situation has prompted the DR Congo government to expel Rwanda’s ambassador to Kinshasa, a decision Rwanda has noted “with regret”.

In a tweet posted on Monday, President Paul Kagame wrote that the “ways and means to de-escalate and address the issues to a peaceful end are with us … We just have to commit ourselves to applying them”.

The African Union has expressed its “extreme concern" at the deteriorating security situation and called for called for an immediate cessation of fighting.

Kinshasa has repeatedly accused Rwanda of supporting M23, an accusation Kigali has always denied.

Different initiatives by the Angolan president and the East African Community - which both countries belong to - have been unable to stop the violence and resolve the decades-long conflict.